June is Immigration Heritage Month so it is only fitting that Lin-Manuel Miranda, multiple award winning playwright and composer, has just released a powerful new video that he executive produced called “Immigrants: We Get the Job Done.” The video which is part of a mix-tape associated with the show Hamilton addresses a range of issues confronting immigrants, ranging from ICE raids to the plight of refugees. Poignantly, the video highlights the critically important and wide-ranging contributions that immigrants make to society in the United States.
The video commences with a group of divergent immigrants from various countries listening to a news report about border security, wondering why “immigrant” has regrettably become such a bad word. Through this video, Miranda hopes to raise awareness and funding for immigrants and immigrant advocacy groups, which is important given the political climate within the current Presidential administration. When describing the significance of his video, Miranda states: “This election cycle has brought xenophobia and vilification of immigrants back to the forefront of U.S. politics. This is a musical counterweight.”
At the Shulman Law Group, LLC, a firm dedicated exclusively to immigration law, we salute Miranda for his bravery and creativity in utilizing visual media and the world of music to shed light on the current immigrant story. Using other forms of media, venues, and imaginative tools beyond partisan politics is critical in promoting tolerance, understanding, and advocacy. We highly recommend that you view the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_35a7sn6ds